


Christmas is for Family

by iceprinceloki



Category: Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice
Genre: Christmas Decorations, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Christmas Tree, Family Fluff, Gen, M/M, claudias first christmas eve, fanfiction request, the husbands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 10:07:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21847915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iceprinceloki/pseuds/iceprinceloki
Summary: Claudia's first Christmas is warm, cozy and leads to the miracle that made 65 years possible.A gift for thevampchronicles on tumblr! I hope you like it dear heart!
Relationships: Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Pointe du Lac
Comments: 1
Kudos: 42





	Christmas is for Family

The smell of roasting chestnuts, the bite of the cold wind and the sound of children laughing as they ran to play together; this is what greeted me as I left our flat in New Orleans with Claudia. It was Christmas Eve and the joy was palpable on the streets, kind greeting were on the mouths of all who passed me on the sidewalk. 

It was our first Christmas Eve with Claudia in the house and Lestat had veritably forced us out of the house as soon as we woke. Claudia begged to go to the play park and I gladly accompanied her and watched her playing with the mortal children. I sat on a long bench; on the other end were two older ladies who obviously came with their grandchildren. 

Claudia ran up to me suddenly and smiling asked me to come play as well; something Lestat very often did with her, much to my amusement and embarrassment. 

‘Non mon Cherie…you must play with the other children, I fear I am too tall to be playing on those contraptions, how about….I push you on the swings instead?’

She squealed with delight and ran for the swings. I laughed and slowly stood up, stopped by the older ladies cooing at her.

‘Oh! What a lovely little girl you have!’ They said to me, beaming at her antics.

I bowed me head in thanks and returned their smiles. ‘Merci madames.’

I went to Claudia and spent a good hour pushing her on the swing and talking to her. She had so many questions about the holiday. Why were there so many lights? What were the songs everyone sang about? Why was everyone so happy? Why couldn’t it always be like this all year round?

I patiently explained it all to her and asked if she would like to go watch some carols. She eagerly jumped off the swing, grabbed my hand and started pulling me in the direction of the caroller’s we had seen earlier in passing. She asked me to lift her and I secured her on my shoulders so she could see all that was happening.

Her curiosity and zest was refreshing, and infectious I felt my heart becoming lighter the more I listened to her and observed her responses to the cheer around us. An arm suddenly came around my waist and I knew instinctively it was Lestat. Claudia reached her arms to him and he swung her down and cuddled her. I had never known Lestat to be so physically affectionate until Claudia came into our lives; it warmed a part of my heart I tried to keep silent and still.

He kissed her cheeks and then leaned in to kiss my lips, I turned my head last second as I always did; not comfortable with him kissing my lips as he so often tried to do. He gave his usual sigh of disappointment and kissed my cheek.

‘It’s time for us to go home, has she fed?’ He directed the question at me, to which I nodded.

I myself do not feed on holidays, and though I felt the pains of hunger I was resolute in my abstinence. The two of them looked vibrant and they chattered incessantly as we walked to our flat in the Rue Royal. He had a surprise for us he told her secretively.

When we arrived at our townhouse we could see it was well lit from the inside and outside. I felt slightly suspicious as Lestat had never done anything like this before, I walked in behind them wearily. To my surprise there were candles everywhere, decorations strewn about the entirety of the flat and in the living room by a roaring fire was the biggest   
Christmas tree Lestat could have fit into the house.

Claudia was ecstatic and she ran around the house babbling in delight about all of the work Lestat had obviously done in our absence. He called us both into the lounge and handed her a star shaped decoration for the top of the tree.

‘I thought you’d like to be the one to put the star on the tree Cherie.’

She ran to me and I lifted her up, helping her reach the top and put the star on the gargantuan tree. I held her in my arms after and looked at Lestat, he’d watched us with a strange look in his eyes. I set her down so she could run around the tree looking at the decorations and presents beneath, Lestats eyes stayed on me and I met his gaze inquisitively. 

Claudia suddenly darted out of nowhere and hugged him around his legs.

‘Thank you Lestat! This is so amazing! It’s beautiful I love it!’ She told him with all a child’s glee.

He crouched down to her level. ‘Do you want to pick a story book from your shelf and we can all read it together?’

She ran out the room and up the stairs to retrieve a book. Lestat stood up again and looked at me, I looked right back feeling slightly uneasy in the silence.

‘You haven’t fed?’

I grit my teeth, preparing for an argument we had every year prior. The argument of my feeding was the only way we had ever celebrated Christmas before, what Lestat had done this year was entirely unheard of.

‘You know how I feel Lestat. I will not change my practise because it doesn’t suit you.’

He didn’t snap back at me, only nodded and put a hand on my waist to sooth my irritation. ‘I’m not looking to fight with you Louis…I just want to make sure that you are….’

What he was trying to say I still don’t really know, because Claudia came back into the room before he could figure out how best to express his thought. He pulled his hand off my waist like it had been burnt and I felt something deep in my heart mourn the loss of contact. She had brought a story book about Christmas for us to read and the three of us settled before the fire on the couch. Lestat and I sat on either side of her, cradling her between us. I couldn’t remember the last time Lestat and I had willingly been so close for so long.

Watching the two of them warmed my heart, especially watching Lestat, he would have been an incredible father had he been mortal; although I had to admit he was a wonderful father now as a vampire too. Occasionally he looked up at me and saw me staring at him; I would blush and look away, ashamed to be caught in the act. We exchanged a few smiles through the story and I felt lucky to be where I was.

‘Can we open just one present each? Pleeeeeeeease!?’ Claudia begged me and Lestat.

He laughed and I agreed and sent her to find whichever one she wanted to open. She came back and handed me on from Lestat and him one from me and then sat on the carpet and opened one from the two of us. We had bought her a wooden rocking horse which she gleefully began to play with. Lestats hand suddenly laced with mine as we watched her and I glanced over at him to see his warm gaze directed at me.

‘Why don’t you open yours Louis?’

I glanced at the bright paper in my lap and removing my hand from his began to unwrap it. Inside was a copy of The Adventures of Ralph Reybridge by William Linley and a soft black scarf, I felt something solid wrapped inside the scarf and slowly started to unwrap it. Lestat grabbed both my hands in his and shook his head. I looked up at him in surprise, he shook his head again. 

‘Later…’

I was confused but I set it down beside me, curious about what he had hidden in the scarf but not about to disobey in case he went into one of his rages. I stroked my thumbs over his knuckles and whispered a thank you. He opened my gift to him and I held my breath hoping he would like it. I’d found a golden pocket watch and had his name engraved on the outside in gently curved lettering.

Lestat looked up at me and smiled, apparently touched by the gift. He leaned forward and kissed my cheek, surprising me by not going for my mouth.

‘Merci mon amour….’

I was stunned by the title bestowed upon me but I didn’t have time to think on it as Claudia demanded my attention. I moved to sit on the carpet with her and read her another story.

Before long it was dawn and we locked the house extinguished the candles and the fire, and made our way to our rooms. Claudia stopped in the door way of my room and turned to us.

‘Can’t Lestat stay with us tonight too Louis?’ She implored with her eyes.

I hesitated and tried to find some way of saying no. Lestat luckily came to my rescue. ‘Petite there is no room for all three of us in Louis coffin, we will be squished!’

She giggled and shook her head, curls bouncing on her shoulders. ‘Silly! We can sleep on the bed!’

Lestat and I looked at each other, neither of us sure how to explain to her that it wasn’t done.

‘We can close the curtains, they’re really really thick, the sun won’t come in!’ She tried again, obviously set. When we still awkwardly shifted on our feet and avoided eye contact with each other she pushed a new button. ‘It’s Christmas….I thought we were a family…’

I internally groaned, knowing she had won. ‘We are a family cherie, of course Lestat can stay with us tonight.’

She cheered her victory and rushed to choose a nightdress. Lestat helped her change while I locked the room and secured the window properly. He playfully tossed her into the air, catching her before tossing her gently onto the king size bed. She sat primly on the bed and pointed to her left.

‘Louis you sleep here!’

I sat beside her as directed and stroked my fingers through her hair. Lestat sat down on her right and did the same. She collapsed onto her back between us and we each propped ourselves on our elbows and smiled down at her. We kissed her cheeks and I sang her a lullaby. Claudia fell asleep before we did, I usually had half an hour longer than her.

Once she was asleep Lestat and I were basically alone and there was a silence to fill. I felt there was so much I wanted to say, but I didn’t know where to start or if I should even speak. He seemed to be having a similar war inside himself.

‘Lestat? Thank you for everything you did tonight, Claudia loved it…so did I…’ I avoided his eyes, choosing to watch our child sleeping between us.

He cleared his throat quietly. ‘You’re welcome…we are a family Louis…we should do things like this more often…’

I laughed and looked up at him. ‘As much as Claudia would love for it to be Christmas every day I do not think it’s sustainable, it’ll loose its taste eventually!’

He sat up cross legged and ducked his head, his hand idly traced the pattern on the bed spread.

‘I didn’t mean Christmas and I….I didn’t mean Claudia and us….I meant…’

I realized suddenly what he was saying and felt my face warm. I sat up slowly and mimicked his position, facing him. 

‘Lestat it isn’t done…’  
‘And why not? You know how I feel about you. I know how you feel about me. What is so wrong about love?’

I was taken aback by his aggressive response and wasn’t sure how to proceed.

‘Louis having Claudia in our home has made me think about the past and I know how I was towards you wasn’t kind. There are things that I cannot tell you about our kind, nor can I tell you why it cannot be disclosed, but I will do my utmost moving forward. All I ask is that you move forward with me….’ His eyes met mine and I felt myself melting as I always did on the rare occasion that he let his walls drop.

I fell into thought and tried to separate my mortal inhibitions from my identity as a vampire, but it was a war I often tried and failed to win. Lestats hand was cupping my chin suddenly and he turned my face to look at him. His other hand came up and I saw the black scarf in his hand. I took it from him nervously and unwrapped the mystery object inside. It was a small leather box which I proceeded to open. I gasped when I saw the contents; two golden rings, one with a sapphire and the other with an emerald.

Lestat took the box and removed the emerald ring, he set the box down and took my left hand in his right.

‘Louis I…..I care for you very deeply….I want us to be a real family…a whole family…and I hope you would want the same…’

He slid the ring on my wedding finger and looked me in the eyes with a sincerity I had never seen. I suppose miracles can happen every day. I looked at the ring in the box, the sapphire gleaming as surely as the emerald on my own. I took my hands from his and removed the ring from the box.

I felt my stomach clench nervously, aware of what I was agreeing to if I mimicked Lestats actions. It was a terrifying thought, it was a promise of one soul to another, I felt that old anxiety of abandonment and pain creeping into my throat but one look in my makers eyes and I knew it would be unfounded. I knew how I felt for him and I could see now how he felt for me. I felt the dawn approaching for me and I took a deep breath, I slid the ring onto his wedding finger and ducked my head shyly.  
Lestat looked at me in amazement, apparently expecting me to put up more of a fight.

‘I will never give you reason to regret this Louis….’ He whispered, leaning forward to rest our foreheads together.

‘Lestat?’ I darted forward and kissed his lips. ‘I care deeply for you as well….Merry Christmas…mon amour…’

Lestat stared at me for a moment before cupping my face in both hands and pulling me in for another more sensuous kiss, I felt his tongue probe my lips asking for entry. I opened for him and felt a rush of his blood flow into me. I moaned and shifted onto my knees to get closer, hungrily sucking more of the blood from his mouth. I don’t know how long we kissed, I just know it ended when I felt the dawn.

‘You will never go hungry again chere…not even on a holiday….for so long as you allow me this…’

I felt the dawn pulling me to my death sleep and with one last shy kiss I lay down and closed my eyes.

When I woke the next night to find Lestat gone and Claudia still asleep I felt disappointed. I lay on my back and looked at my ring examining it appreciatively; I slid it off my finger and saw an engraving on the inside.

‘Toujours a toi, Lestat’

It was the first of many such magical Christmas eves.


End file.
